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Mikhail’s face hardens. “That he threatened you, yes. A cowardly way to handle the situation. What I paid him for your time should have been more than enough. I hope you haven’t paid him the sixty percent yet. I intend to have a firm conversation with him–”
A laugh bubbles up in my throat. I can’t help it. “You won’t be able to do that,” I tell him shakily. “He’s dead.”
There’s a look of such absolute astonishment on Mikhail’s face that my doubts start to fade in an instant. “Dead? When?”
“Last night.” I take a sip of my wine, giving myself a moment. “He was–it wasn’t a clean death. And someone wrote a message on the wall–thieves die slow. In Russian.”
Mikhail raises his eyebrows, sitting back in his chair. “It sounds like you weren’t the only one Igor was extorting.”
He doesn’t seem to give the slightest hint that he thinks I might have been involved, and a relief I hadn’t expected to feel washes over me.
“No wonder you were so on edge last night. I can’t blame you.” He pauses for a moment, as if considering something, and his eyes widen. “You didn’t think that I–”
“I–” My voice breaks off. I meant to lie, to say of course not, but I don’t seem to be able to make the words come out. “I didn’t–”
“I was in Novogrod yesterday.” He says it smoothly as if he’s not in the least bit offended that I might have thought he had something to do with Igor’s death. “I can show you receipts from things I purchased there if you like–but after having spent so much time together, it would make me feel so much better if you were willing to trust me. I know there was a breach of that–and my only excuse, Ekaterina, is that I’m not accustomed to being disobeyed. That, combined with how much I want you–”
A light shudder runs over him, and he gives me a faint smile. “I can see why you would think I might have killed him. He insulted me, by attempting to extort and harm you. Truthfully, I wish I had. But it wasn’t me, Ekaterina. I promise you that.”
I hadn’t known if he’d try to deny it or not. I hadn’t been sure if I believed him if he did. But now, watching him as he speaks, I don’t know how I cannotbelieve him. He seems so earnest, and as he explains his alibi, I can feel myself starting to trust that he’s telling the truth.
To my surprise, I’m almost disappointed. I hadn’t realized until exactly this moment that a small part of me had been hoping that Mikhailhadswooped down, like some kind of avenging angel and taken care of the problem of Igor for me.
Someonehad, though. Someone dangerous. The fact that it doesn’t seem to have been Mikhail makes me all the more certain that I need to make my escape after tonight. It feels clear to me now that Mikhail isn’t the one who’s been stalking me, butsomeonehas. It could be the same person.
I wasn’t safe here before, and I’m much less so now. Looking across the table at Mikhail, I make a decision.
If he wants me to go home with him tonight, I will. I’ll enjoy one night where I give into anything I might desire. And then tomorrow, I’ll go to someone who can make me a fake passport, fake cards, and an ID, and I’ll leave Russia for good.
—
With the question of Igor out of the way, I find myself enjoying the dinner. We finish the bottle of wine and open another, the courses of the meal coming and going. I know what the end to this night will be before Mikhail even looks at me as he pays the check, his gaze heating as it sweeps over me.
“I have a house outside of town that I’d very much like to show you, Ekaterina. I think you might find it even more charming than my penthouse. But it’s a little bit of a drive–you’d have to stay the night. Would you be willing to do that?”
I know what he’s insinuating. I have a moment’s hesitation at the idea of going out of the city with him, to a strange location, but I remind myself that all my paranoia so far has been unfounded, with the exception of one bad night that he’s apologized for, multiple times now.
One night. And then you leave.
“I would love that.” I smile at him, forcing my nerves away. “I don’t know ifcharmingis the word I’d use for the penthouse, but I’d love to see what kind of home you have that warrants that description.”
“And I’d love to show you.” He offers me his arm as we both stand up. “After you,kotenok.”
That word sparks something in me as we walk to the car, a mingled desire and fear that I have a feeling will remain for the rest of the night. I remember his voice murmuring that word all too well, low and rough as he’d punished me.
But tonight, I’m willing to admit that I want it. That I crave the feeling of giving in, submitting, giving over control just once to a man that I know can take that power and turn it into a night of explosive pleasure for us both, a night that I won’t ever forget.
A night that I might even be willing to enjoy for free, even if Ruby would have my head for thinking it.
I’ll decide that later. For now, I want to enjoy this.
Just this once.
Mikhail
Ican’t believe my good fortune.
I hadn’t known if she’d buy it. Especially once I realized that, while she suspected me of being the one who killed Igor, she wasn’t as happy about it as I expected.
